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iPhone 4 Home Button not working properly

Hi all,


My iPhone home button (round button at the bottom) has started "not responding correctly." Sometimes when I press the button it works as it should, but other times it takes at least 10 clicks before anything happens. I can hear the clicking sound that the button physically makes so I can't imagine that it's hardware related - but it sometimes doesn't want to do anything.

After searching Google and the forums it seems to be pointing towards a software issue? I upgraded the phone to the latest software 4.3 around 3 weeks ago.


Modern Firmware - 01.10.01


Any advice is much appreciated,

mrdanang

iPhone 4, iOS 4.3

Posted on Apr 27, 2011 1:34 AM

Reply
542 replies

Dec 20, 2011 1:11 AM in response to AceNeerav

Amazing how people in this thread and others all experience the home button issue but Apple won't take responsibility for it. It is a known short in the button. The design in the 4 is different from the 3g and 3gs. The 4s also has a new design. This seems isolated to the design of the 4. It is not software related in my case. It is a design flaw in the 4 that Apple will not acknowledge and now expects me to pay $150 for their faulty design if I want a working home button again.

Dec 20, 2011 9:09 PM in response to mrdanang

2 months out of warranty and the home button on my iPhone 4 has also stopped working. I have to press it 5-10 times to get it too work. I thought it might be software related so I restored the phone but it didn't make any difference. This is my 3rd iPhone and it is going to be my last. Looking forward to getting a Samsung Galaxy S III when it comes out.

Dec 20, 2011 10:11 PM in response to mrdanang

I have added my observations in this problem many of us are facing before and still my home button doesn't work. So I think my issue is the high amount of gunk or dust under the home button. A few have commented to turn off the phone, use a damp cloth towel to press the home button in a circular motion. Then reverse the motion. making sure you get the edge of the home button. Turn on your phone and see if the button works. For now, it works until I get more gunk or dust.

Dec 21, 2011 3:29 PM in response to mrdanang

I too was too having this problem. I did run across a simple solution, or maybe a temporary fix, may not be the best solution, and you will have to use at your own discretion. But here is the link.


http://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/56206/Home+button+sometimes+not+working


After doing this my home button did seem more responsive. I'm not saying this is the best fix.

Dec 22, 2011 7:38 PM in response to mrdanang

I just started having the exact same problem. It works some days and other days it rarely works at all. I thought it might be dirty or the button might be messed up. I have a 4 with the latest iOS 5 update and it didn't do it until a few weeks ago. I'm not sure whether or not to think of mine as a software or hardware problem. If it's still covered under warranty maybe they'll fix it?

Dec 27, 2011 10:19 AM in response to mrdanang

I tried the link that dewllg5 put in. Definatley made a difference!


Has anyone from apple actually commented on this or are they still denying it? I have spoken to apple care and they quoted me £126 for a repair or replacemnt phone. They did mention i could join the extended warrenty plan £69, i still dont think I should pay anything towards a clear design fault. I wonder if it's worth contacting bbc watchdog, trading standards, CAB, TIMES money etc they'll be all over this, especially with this many complaints.


I think this will be my last iphone! Samsung and android here I come!

iPhone 4 Home Button not working properly

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